Senegalese and Liverpool frontman, Sadio Mane is having quite a bad start to this season’s campaign. Adding to a three-game ban he suffered after his red card against Manchester City in September, Mane has been ruled out for six weeks with a hamstring injury, a major blow to Liverpool after he was taken off in the closing stages of his nation’s World Cup qualifying win (2-0) over the Cape Verde Islands on Saturday.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]’Mane was assessed by the club’s medical staff on his return to Merseyside and a scan has confirmed their worst fears,'[/perfectpullquote]
a report said.
The 25-year-old will miss up to nine matches – possibly more – in all competitions but his absence will bite Liverpool the most when they play Manchester United (Home: Oct 14), Tottenham Hotspur (Away: Oct 22), Southampton (Home: Nov 18), Sevilla (Away: Nov 21) and at home to Chelsea (Nov 25).
The £30 million transfer from Southampton in 2016, has been an important part of Liverpool’s ascension to Champions League football, scoring an impressive 13 Premier League goals last season for a player who was absent in January playing for Senegal at the 2017 African Nation’s Cup and the final six weeks of the season with a knee injury.
The Premier League player of the month for August considered as Liverpool’s most important attacker already has three goals in four league matches.
Unlike its weak back line, Liverpool’s attack gives options to Jurgen Klopp with the £35 million transfer, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, yet to prove his worst for a regular spot.
Mo Salah’s role couldn’t be more important especially with Mane’s absence but it will require the Egyptian star to be as efficient and effective in front of goal, converting all chances to lift the burden off Klopp’s shoulders.
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